Sarkisian Explains Cut ESPN Interviews After 21-Point Comeback, Backs Manning Apology

Q: Will the viral AI deepfake controversy distract Texas after their historic comeback to become No. 1?

Probably not for long, unless Texas lets it linger. The controversy drew unusual national attention because it involved Arch Manning, an AI deepfake, and ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, and it briefly overshadowed Texas’ biggest win of the season. But the key damage-control steps have already happened: Manning publicly apologized, Rowe accepted it and said they spoke privately, and Steve Sarkisian said both he and Manning handled things poorly. Sarkisian also made clear that neither Manning nor the program condones violence against women. That matters because college teams usually move on fastest when the central figures address the issue directly and the offended party accepts the apology. Texas also has a natural advantage in refocusing attention: it is now the No. 1 team in the country after a historic 21-point fourth-quarter comeback over Ohio State, and it returns quickly to game preparation for UTSA. The bigger risk is not locker-room distraction so much as outside noise. Manning is one of the most scrutinized players in college football, and any misstep becomes a national story. If more criticism builds around Sarkisian’s original postgame walk-off, the topic could stay in headlines longer than Texas wants. Still, the available evidence suggests this is more likely to be a short media storm than a meaningful football disruption. Texas appears to have contained it with apologies, clarification about ESPN’s technical issues, and a unified message before the next game.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Sep 17

Steve Sarkisian said technical delays and his rush to rejoin Texas after a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback at Ohio State led him to cut short ESPN halftime and postgame interviews.
Thursday's explanation also addressed quarterback Arch Manning, who had joked about an AI video depicting Sarkisian hitting reporter Holly Rowe; Sarkisian said Manning recognized the mistake and had apologized publicly and to Rowe.
Sarkisian said he should have shown more patience after the game, stressing Texas has "a ton of respect" for Rowe and ESPN and that he has known Rowe since his BYU playing days.
The cleanup comes as No. 1 Texas tries to move past a week of off-field fallout before hosting in-state opponent UTSA on Saturday night in Austin.